Steering-propeller for vessels.



C. W. L|NSCOTT.

STEERING PROPELLER FOR VES SELS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-2. 1M5.

1,163,352. Patented Dec. 7, 1915.

Qvwuatoc CW LINSCO'TT alkouau:

CHARLES W. LINSCOTT, 0F JACKSON, MICHIGAN.

-STEERING-PROPELLEB FOR VESSELS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 7, 1915.

Application filed August 2, 1915. Serial No. 43,303.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that 1, CHARLES WY. LrN- scorr, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Jackson, in the county ofJackson and State ofMicliigan, have invented certa n new and useful Improvements inSteering- Propellers'for Vessels, of which the following isaspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an improved steering propeller for vessels andhas for its primary object to provide a device for supplementingtheaction of the ordinary rudder with which the vessel is equipped so as tofacilitate and quicken the turning movement of the vessel,

It is another object of my invention to provide a rotary steeringpropeller for the above urpose, which is so mounted in the hull o thevessel that it is entirely protected against possible injury by foreignobjects, in the movement of the vessel.

The invention has for av further object to provide a rotary steeringpropeller applicable to either steam or sailing vessels, and improvedmeans for transmitting power to said propeller, which may be easily andquickly removed or placed in position.

\Vith the above and other objects in View, my invention consistsin'thenovel features of construction, combination and arran ement of parts tobe hereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of the vessel, showing thesame provided with a pair of my improved rotary steering propellers; andFig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

As above stated, the present inventionresides in the provision of animproved rotary steering device wliichis' employed to supplement theaction of the usual rudder mounted in the stern of the vessel, wherebythe turning movement of the vessel may be facilitated in cases'ofemergency, and the present applicationconstitutes, in part, acontinuation of myflprior pendin -application for patent, filed May 5,1915, erial No. 26,028.

' In the accompanyingdrawing, 5 designates the sternportion of a vessel.It will be understood that the present invention is not 'limited to anyparticular typeor construction of the vessel; but isequally applicableto both steam and sailing vessels. I have shown, in the presentinstance, a vessel equipped with the usual screw-propeller 6, and havinga keel 7 extending rearwardly beneath said propeller to constitute aseat or support for a rudder 8. This rudder is preferably constructedand mounted in the manner shown and described in my prior applicationabove referred to.

In'ordcr to supplement the action of the rudder 8 and uiekeii theturning movement of the vessel, provide the auxiliary steering deviceforming the subject matter of the present application. This steeringdevice, when'em loyed upon a single screw- 'steam'er,' is pre erablylocated under the forefoot or the bow of the vesselshull; but for large,high-speed vessels having twin or quadruple propelling screws, theauxiliary steering device is preferably installed in the skeg ordead-wood, forwardly of the propelling screw and the rudder, and at suchpoint as will not. interfere therewith, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.Provision is made in the skeg, immediately above the keelsoii of thevessel, for a metal casting 40 which is fixed in place by means of thevertical bolt 41 assing through the ends of the casting, the] eelson andthe keel. The central portion of the casting -10 is cut out or recessed,as at 2, and the keelson is also recessed, as shown at 43. These opposedrecesscs accommodate the rotary steering member which consists of aseries of propeller blades H connected together by an annular metal bandor rim tliwliiclris' shrunk and permanently secured upon said blades.The rim or band is provided upon one face with .gear teeth, as shown-at46, and with the same, the driving gear 47, fixed upon the lower end ofthe vertical shaft 48, is engaged. Horizontal straps or bars 49 aresocured to opposite sides of the casting l0 and extend across the recess42, and in these straps the ends of the shaft 50 of the rotary steeringmember are journaled.

A well or casing 5l,is built in the hull of the vessel andextends belowthe deck thereof. This casin provides a protecting housing for the shaft 48. Upon the shaft 48, adjacent its lower end, a collar 52 isfixed, and'a bearin block 53 is disposed in the lower end of tie casing51 and seated upon the casting 42. The casting 42 is further providedwith an opening,.shown at 54, whiclris slightly greater indiaiiieter ingmay than the diameter of thepinion 47-, so that the shaft may be liftedfrom the well, when desired. Between the collar 52 and the bearingmember 53, rollers or bearing balls are arranged. A cap 55 is securedupon the upper end of the well or casing 51, and this cap is co mectcdby a plurality of vertical rodsto the bearing block53, said rods beingfixed in the blockand projecting below the same, as clearly shown inFig. 2. The extremities of these rods are adapted to seat in recessesformed in the casting 40. Upon the upper end of the shaft 48,projcctingabove the cap 55, the gear 50 is tixed, anti-friction bearingmembers being arranged between the face of said gear and the opposedface of the cap 55. 5'7 designates a longitudinally disposed tracksuitabl mounted 'above the deck of the vessel an upon which the sheaveblo'ck, indicated at 58, is mounted for travel. A'hoist chain which istrained over the sheave, is adapted to be connected to the upper end ofthe shaft 48, whereby the same may be readily removed. from the well 51or replaced in operative position. It is, of course obvious that inplace of the gearing above escribe'd, a miter or bevel gear or a wormdrive gearbe substituted. {The power gear, shown at 59, which mesheswith the gear 56, may be driven from a gas engine, electric motor, 'rany other suitable source of power. It is also to be born'e in mindthat, while I have shown only oneof the rotary steering devices, thesame may be employed in multi les of two or more. By the provision oftiisrotary steering member, the 'action of the rudder 8 is supplementedso that the vessel may be quickly turned and liabilit of collision withother vessels thus 'avoidec. It is also to be particularly observed thatthe vertical plane of rotation of the rotary 'pro eller is coincidentwith the central longituc inal line of the vessels hull so that theblades of the )ropeller are entirely housed'and 'rotecte againstmutilation or distortion y logs or other objects striking against thesides of the vessel. It is, of course, apparent that the vessel isturned in one direction or the other by means of the rotary propeller,by simply transmitting rotation to the propeller blades in the pro erdirection.

From 'tie above, it will be appreciated that the present invention is inthe nature of a life-saving ap liance for vessels as it, to a rentextent, 0 viatcs theprobable loss of li e due to shipwreck or"collision. The rotation of the steering member may be easily andquickly rever'scdi by theutilization of a suitable lever under thecontrol of the 'operatonso as to uickly, turn or steer the vess'eljn thedesired direction."

From the foregoing description, taken in connection withthe accompanyingdrawing,

the construction, manner of operation, and several advantages of myinvention will be clearly and fully understood. By mounting theauxiliary steering propeller in the manner referred to, the same isprotected against injury without, in any way, lessening itseffectiveness in operation.

The invention as a whole is also comparetively simple in itsconstruction and may beeinbodied in various types of vessels withoutgreatly increasing the cost thereof.

Owing to the easv accessibility of the seveial parts of the evice, thesame may be readily removed or replaced in operative position with aminimum of manual labor or loss of time in cases of emergency.

While I have shown and dcscribed the preferred construction andarrangement of the several elements employed, it is to be understoodthat the invention is susceptible of considerable modification thereinand I, therefore, reserve the privilege of resorting to all such 1gitimat'e changes as may be fairly emb'odie within the spirit and scopeof tho invention as claimed.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I desire to claim'imdsecure by Letters Patent is 1. The combination with a vessel, of arotary steerin device including a casting fixed in 'the hu 1 of thevessel, a rotary steering member mounted in said casting, a verticallydisposed casing, a bearing and means for seatin said bearing upon thecasting within the l'ower endof the casing and holding the bearingagainst rotary movem'en't, a vertical shaft disposed through said casingand mounted in the bearing, gearing connecting said shaft to the rotarysteering member, and means for elevati'rv the vertical shaft and itsbearing to the deck of the ve'sseL' 2. The combination with a vessel, ofa rotary steering device including a casting fixed in the hull of thevessel, a rotary steering member having a transversely disposed shaftjournal'ed in bearings on said casting, a vertically disposed c'asmg, anoperating shaft rem'ovably moun't'ed in said casing and provided uponits lower 'end with a gear, an annular gear on one face of said rotarysteering member engaged by the gear on said shaft, and means forremoving the op erating shaft from the deck of the vessel or placing"the same in operative position.

3. The c'oinbina'ti on 'with a vessel, of a rotary steering deviceincluding a casting fixed in the hull of the vessel, a rotary steeringmember mounted in said casting and having a pluralit of blades rotatingin a vertical plane coincident with the central longitudinal line of thevessel, a vertically disposed casing, a da for said casing, a bearing, a"vertical shaFt mounted in the 'cap and bearing, a plurality of rodsconnecting llt said can and bearing and adapted to seat Intestimonywhereof I hereunto afiix my at thein lower ends in recesses formed insignature in til fgresence of two witnesses. said casting, gearingconnecting said verti- C RLES W. LIN SCOTT. cal shaft to the rotarysteering member, and Witnesses:

means for elevating the vertical shaft and E'rm WHIPPLE,

its bearing to the deck of the vessel. v ALBERT B. LINOOLN.

Oopies oi this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by eddreasin:the "Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. O.

